ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9436
Open Date: 10/07/2018
Closing Date: 03/09/2018 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 18.1MS.05
Prog. Ref.: ExPeRT MarsX
Budget Ref.: E/0116-11M – ExPeRT MarsX
Special Prov.: AT+BE+CH+CZ+DE+DK+ES+FR+GB+GR+IE+IT+NL+NO+PL+PT+RO+SE+CA
Tender Type: C
Price Range: 200-500 KEURO
Techology Domains: Others
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Dir of Human & Robotic Exploration Prog.
Department: Exploration Group
Contract Officer: Ekatomati, Georgia
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 11/07/2018
Update Reason: Loaded a new Clarification(English version)

The current running activities on the Double Walled Isolators and its related Remote Manipulators aim atproving the concept of theDWI and its suitability to receive and analyse the Mars samples and maintain them inultra clean conditions. Most of the operationson the samples will be performed with no direct contact withhumans to prevent their contamination, using RM systems. However, the Scientists are not used to manipulatethe regolith samples with remote manipulators.A first part of the activity will consist in organising 4 workshops of 3 to 5 days each with a panel of 15scientists (specialist in organics and life detection on soil material, geologists, curators, etc..) and engineersspecialized in robotics, contamination and cleanliness. The second part of the activity consists of elaborating theguideline to manufacture equipment instruments and RM systems in MSRF. In parallel with the aboveactivities, once available, the RM system breadboard and DWI breadboard delivered from MREP previousactivities will serve as input to thisactivity and tests pursued.In parallel to the scientific activities, industry shall elaborate a set of guidelines to manufacture the instrumentsand RM systems for the MSRF.The second part of the activity shall consist in investigating whether an adequate combination of methods canbe implemented in order to guarantee the presence of unavoidable equipment compatible with the scientificanalysis of the samples inside the DWIs. Apart from the aspects addressed above, including the avoidance ofthe use of undesirable materials in the equipment, also the encapsulation of the robot arm and its tooling/grippers, and possibly other equipment, with evacuation of the off-gassing products from inside theencapsulation, is to be considered as part of the Contamination Reduction methods. Contamination knowledge,i.e. the characterisation of residual contamination, is to be considered.These guidelines would prepare forthe implementation of an Engineering Model of a DWI with an integratedinstrument and a Robotic Manipulation System by means of which the adequacy of the cleanliness approachcan be assessed. They will also be an input for negotiations with manufacturers of instruments and RM systemsfor the purchase of adapted equipment to be integrated in the MSRF. They shall be factored into refining thecost estimate of the MSRF as well as the industrial roadmap.The results of the previous workshops and the activity on the elaboration of a set of guidelines formanufacturing of the equipment in MSRF shall give the science panels and industry the elements to estimate thecosts of building an MSRF (all sub systems included).

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